I have to wonder why these facts have never been brought up elsewhere. Getting money back from the government you never paid in...I guess that's "spreading the wealth", but it reeks of anti-free market principles.

I wonder if he's going to be doing a regularly scheduled game, or if they just needed him because they have six games today. I was shocked to hear Terry Gannon discuss doing his 3rd game in 48 hours today...so much for research and film work.

This is going to be a pretty weak post to conclude 2009, but here goes...Has anyone else not known what day it is all week? Tonight, I wondered why Cops wasn't on at 7...because it's not Saturday, me guesses.

{Yes, I realize my enjoyment of Cops makes me a hick to many. They just don't appreciate the complete ignorance of the criminal mind.}

I'm out, as I struggle to stay awake, despite playing poker and enjoying sports on TV...I think I've become addicted to naps.

There is a correlation between Obama bad mouthing the US every time he steps on foreign soil and his incredible shrinking approval ratings...most of us are well aware that the USA is still the greatest nation in the history of the world, and in 50 years, it will only be better.

Those who are critical turn a blind eye to what a hole most of the rest of the world is...there's a reason why children in Africa dreams of being an American every night, and not a single American dreams of being an African.

"There is no terrorist threat," Moore insists. "Yes, there have been horrific acts of terrorism and, yes, there will be acts of terrorism again. But that doesn't mean that there's some kind of massive terrorist threat."

and it is even more moronic today.

Terrorism is not heartburn...something to accept as inevitable and take a tablet when it occurs. Some of us are still extremely angry about 9/11...in fact, far angrier than the old media is. This is one of many miscalculations the current administration has made.

The Rambling son is leaving for grandma and grandpa's in a little while, so I told him if he wanted, I'd go to Taco Bell, his favorite, and get lunch. It gave me a chance to try the new 5 layer burrito I see advertised every few minutes on TV.

I will say this...for 89 cents, it is very big and very filling. It weighs about as much as 3 regular tacos, and is loaded with beef and beans, and has plenty of cheese sauce. The reason I went to TB's web site was to figure out what the 4th and 5th "layers" are supposed to be...I did not see any cheese on mine, and it had very little sour cream, I could not taste what the white stuff was.

If you only have $2 to spend, buying a couple of those behemoths is as good a fast food option as there is out there.

The Palins were forced to leave Hawaii due to media whores, Pelosi and Obama ignored (except for the president's orchestrated official press, which is always heavily controlled).

The double standard, especially involving the minor children, has grown so obvious I don't think anyone will even pretend it does not exist. The Obama kids might as well be on the South Pole, as you never see them, as the old media, as they did with Chelsea Clinton, simply ignores them. Sadly, no punishment seems to be forthcoming, as even the respectful outlets don't seem to want to call the others on their abhorrent behavior.

It's really hard to muster up an iota of respect for the former senator, who is literally a step-by-step guide on how not to live your life.

And yes, I know it's the Enquirer, which broke the Edwards affair after the old media managed to bury it for two years...the LA Times banned their people from mentioning it after the Enquirer broke it, as they feared Dem backlash.

It sure is a pleasure to see Northwestern ranked in the top 25 and almost defeat a higher ranked Illni team in Champaign. I always thought Bill Carmody and his "Princeton" offense was a perfect fit, but you'd never know it by his first few seasons.

By the way, the Wildcats are ranked 25th...first time they've been ranked since 3 months before I was born, January of 1969.

Eric links to this piece showing the Crew signed Chris Waters to a minor league contract. I swear I mentioned this, but cannot find it, so I guess not. Maybe it got bloggered.

Waters is a nice AAA arm to have around, and adds more depth to Nashville. They've signed a couple lefties, you never know if one of them might stick as a loogy as well.

I think the braintrust is making a real effort to have 4-5 true AAA arms in the rotation at Nashville, probably in addition to Josh Butler, so when/if they need to dip down for a start, they'll have more than one guy...last year, Burns had pitched nicely, but his stuff gave no indication he'd be able to repeat that in the bigs. However, it was well hidden, but he did pitch very nicely out of the 'pen.

An overlooked factor seems to be that once the fear of failure is gone, it throws off the whole "market works" scenario. Let's remember Enron...they went broke, and stockholders lost money...that's how it's supposed to work. With the constant flow of cash into these poorly run companies, it throws off the whole the cream rises to the top, survivor of the fittest part of capitalism.

Recall the textbooks we read that spoke of the Soviet record wheat harvests rotting in warehouses, as bread lines formed in the cities...because the government had no incentive (profit) to get it there.

Those that do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. The market works, but only if government lets it.

The Rambling brother checks in to say he's surprised so many people think Jason Bay is far inferior to Matt Holliday defensively, as he often sees Matt make awkward looking plays, and would even say Braun is far better than Holliday. I have no idea, and looking at UZR/150, Bay is -8, Holliday +6...of course, other metrics may show other things, as there is no one defensive stat that "works" like OXS does, and often times, they disagree with one another.

The thing I find most troubling is that a poor defender like Brad Hawpe can somehow be saddled with a -47 one season, despite having less than two chances a game in the corner OF. Either Hawpe played without a glove, or it is a stat that is still being developed, and is far from perfect.

I'm torn on the Texas Tech situation, as it seems like one kid telling half-truths may well have been all it took to fire Leach, as he was due $800K tomorrow. That said, it's difficult to work up much sympathy for a guy who gets a settlement of $1.6M and appears to be in high demand already.

The Orioles made an eight-year, $130 million offer to free agent outfielder Matt Holliday, according to Tracy Ringolsby of FOXSports.com.--Rotoworld

BAL already has 5 decent OF options, though young guys like Pie and Reimond would have plenty of trade value and be cheap enough to keep as reserves. BAL needs a 1B or a 3B and some pitching, but can't help themselves when they think they can sign an elite FA.

Working hard and not being able to keep that money drives people batty...that's why when tax rates go up, they collect less money, because people take more questionable deductions and the like.

The only question I have is, who will be the next Reagan and have the guts to tell it like it is. Many are afraid that with so many folks getting government benefits, it will be a losing battle to run on a "let's get rid of them" platform, but considering the polls, I don't think so.

The UK media sure is unafraid to be critical of the nonexistent security policies. C'mon, this is the administration that banned the word "terrorism" from being uttered, and said the enemies captured on the battlefield need to be read their Miranda rights...it's pretty clear national defense and security is well down the list of priorities.

Remember, when W was playing golf, he didn't care, when Obama's playing golf he's "taking a low key approach". The irony is, the public is not fooled.

“We have given up hope that network operators will move to improve security on their own, but we are hoping that with this added attention, there will be increased demand from customers for them to do this,” he told the Financial Times.

Another apt comparison may be Aaron Rowand...his past two years in SF is probably almost identical to what I would project DeRosa to accomplish...Giants' fans have to be underwhelmed by that, as I have not heard a lot of calls of "If only we had more guys like Rowand in the lineup"...they now have two guys that hit like the average NL 2B did last year...not exactly what you want from your 3B and CF.

As I said, DeRosa is far from a bad player, but he sure isn't a difference maker either. Add that to SF getting him for his years of 35 and 36...and the fact that Sandoval goes from being a superb offensive 3B to just another guy at 1B, it sure is easy for me to think the Giants would have been far better off signing a big bat to play 1B (Carlos Delgado jumps out at me) every day than DeRosa.

The Rambling son and I just had a talk about this, the second full moon of the month, and a New Year's Eve blue moon for the first time since '90.

He was all excited, it turns out, because on one of his video games, something is only for sale when it's a blue moon. He says it is also called a "harvest moon" because supposedly, it is bright enough for a farmer to pick his crops...ditto for hunter's moon, I would assume.

This was just pointed out to me yesterday...six months ago, a Newsweek goofball could say "Obama is like a god" and not get laughed off the planet, while now, Obama's approval rating is off-the-charts bad.

Evan needs to spend a few minutes outside DC and NYC...here in flyover country, we know how to separate our political leaders from those we worship...this, my friends, is why the old media will soon be a distant memory.

I was just thinking last night that DeRosa may well have managed to reach the echelon of "overrated", though he isn't a bad player, by any means. He seems to get a lot of credit for his versatility, but in reality, he can't play SS anymore, so, while 1B/2B/3B/LF/RF is indeed nice to have, he doesn't hit enough to play anywhere except 2B or 3B everyday. He's also not a young man anymore, and while casuals tend to ignore that because "players keep themselves in good shape" nowadays, you still don't see many guys 35+ still producing at prime levels.

Between naps (why yes, I am on vacation), I may well do a compare and contrast with DeRosa later today.

As I have done many times, National Review wonders what happened to Andrew Sullivan, who was an intelligent, well-written conservative at the beginning of the decade, and is now a conspiracy minded loon.

The irony here is twofold...the incredibly thin Demi Moore is being photoshopped to appear painfully thin, and both her and hubby Ashton Kutcher have denied that the image was altered, which now appears to be a bit of an untruth...needless to say, most people don't send lawyers after people who end up being the truthful ones.

ABC News has airline passengers complaining that they got to the airport late and had their tickets canceled...and there's no extra seats available.

Where do they find these people? It's the busiest travel day of the year, and they're supposed to save a few seats for the chronically tardy?

Oof.

EDIT: I forgot to add one couple is going to miss their cruise because of this. Of course, if I had tickets for a cruise, I wouldn't be late to the airport and I wouldn't be flying out in the morning when the cruise leaves in the afternoon. The sense of entitlement and the total lack of common sense is literally overwhelming what used to be a nation that pulled itself up by the bootstrap and did whatever it took to be successful.

The irony here is, everyone is furious with Nebraska...but in the back of their minds, unhappy with their own dudes for not bringing pork back to their state, as this Nevada piece correctly points out. At the end of the day, the only people happy are the ones who said, "You know, if we just expanded Medicaid by 30M, our problems would be solved!"

The Rambling son, dog, and I spent the day traveling to and fro my family Xmas...the Rambling wife also attended, but will not return until tomorrow.

On the way home, the DS ran low on battery, so for the last 30 minutes we discussed volcanoes, dialects, erosion, and foster care. I also shared my belief that the Rambling dog will not still be with us when summertime rolls around. While I hope I'm wrong, the Rambling son's response was "Well, that would not be good", which is eerily similar to what I say all the time. Even in a world full of technology and astounding change, you still pick up an awful lot from who you spend time with.

Numerous times over the years, I would think of the Rambling dad, who of course, passed away several years ago now. He was always self-employed, and I never knew him to work for anyone else. When I would ignore corporate direction and just do what was best for myself and the store, I would often figure that's exactly what he would do...I also thought to myself no less than a few hundred times over the years that if my dad was working for a company that was so backward and inconsistent, he'd turn in his keys and walk out in disgust.

Some things don't change from one generation to the next, even though almost everything has.

I gotta agree with the author at the link Glenn gives us...I see no change at all. Obama spoke unfondly of the US while he was running, and still does, moreso when out of the country. His wife implied she'd never been proud of the US until her hubby was nominated for president. He went to what is quite likely the only church in the nation where the phrase "God d*** America" has been spoken.

If you think he's changed, you were just drinking the kool-aid and not paying attention.

On the early NBA game, they were discussing Tim James, a former player who enlisted in the Army and is currently serving in Iraq. Here's an article about him from August.

It is amazing the stories the old media have every chance to tell but ignore. The fact James is not a household name because of a plethora of media coverage...yet the Octomom is, pretty much explains what a pathetic job they do on an ongoing basis.

As I often point out, he's not covered because he does not fit the narrative that the military is full of people that have no other options, never mind that's patently untrue.

Merry Christma, I enjoy the blog daily. I finally have reason to write as you discussed bottles of booze costing $25-35 at Target.

As a bit of an expert on the subject, let me tell you that there's no reason to spend that much on a bottle, though many amateurs, probably Todd and Margo themselves, will pay more for a well known brand name or a fancy colored label.

My favorite, Evan Williams, usually sells for less than $10, and many others, Jim Beam for one, is just more than that.

As you would say, if you someone who is spending $25+ on a bottle, you probably don't want to hang out with 'em anyway.

Robert

I'd never heard of EW Robert, but after a quick search, found it's probably the most beloved "bargain" bourbon on the market. Thanks for the e-mail and the knowledge.

I should mention, whenever I see Modern Drunkard magazine mentioned, I always enjoy a good laugh.

I woke up from my Xmas Eve nap a while ago, and now the Rambling wife is off to play at church, so I thought I'd share a few observations from this morning.

---I went both to the grocery store and to Target, as we needed a couple things because our travel plans changed due to the weather. I don't think I've ever seen the grocery busier. The wife says it's because they close early tonight and are closed tomorrow, but I would say it's more than likely because almost everyone, either tonight, tomorrow, or over the weekend, are having a big meal or get together to celebrate the season.

--After spending years in retail, Xmas Eve was always a letdown, because while business is decent, it's far less than the days leading up to it, as a good percentage of people are either on the road, tired of shopping, or already at a get together. The nice thing about it is, especially when I was at the toy store, was the questions about the hot stuff ends, as Xmas Eve is a time to buy, not to ponder what sold out. Target only had 5-6 registers open, and were not busy at all.

--A couple days ago, I read some school suspended a teacher for taking a field trip class to Hooters (given recent trends, I'd just like to commend her for just taking them out to eat without dating any of the students). Apparently, healthy young women wearing tight shirts and shorts was "too much", even though the teacher said they were the only restaurant that had seating for 40. I see nothing wrong with Hooters myself, and the irony to me is, the cashier at the grocery store today was "showing more skin" than a Hooters gal.

I always have to wonder at how many things a person who finds Hooters bothersome must be negative about. All I can say is, I doubt I'd like to be around such a negative nellie. I also always chuckle how many young women wear Hooters souvenir T-shirts and tank tops...apparently, they have gotten over it, others should too. If you choose not to frequent a restaurant because (gasp), their servers wear sexy attire, all I can say is, thank goodness, I won't have to wait as long for a table.

You want to see suggestive clothing, hang around with the 16-25 year-old demographic in the summer months...Hooters associates will be telling them to cover up.

--At Target, they were changing an endcap right next to the registers to bottles of liquor, I suppose designed for people to pick up as gifts for their hosts. I am not a drinker, but was shocked to see they cost $25-35...jeepers. I was surprised store brand cream of mushroom soup selling for 99 cents (luckily, "Clear Value" brand was 49 cents, a far fairer price for a few ounces of salt/milk/shrooms).

--At the grocery, as I stood in the line of the cute college-aged woman, I was behind a young couple that could have stood in for Todd and Margo in the Xmas Vacation film. Both were dressed up a bit, he in a tie and jeans (always a giggle inducing look, make up your damn mind) and a hat (continuing the now 40 year run of men that looked ridiculous in hats...I can't believe some still think it'll work for them), she in a fuzzy white hat and heels (how she must have cursed the slushy parking lot), and their purchase included 3 bottles of wine, organic herbs, a pre-made gift basket (which I saw when I was looking for bags of bread for stuffing...a cheap basket, a couple apples and oranges, and a fruit that this small-town boy did not recognize, with shrink wrap around it) which rang up at $9.99...I'm 90% sure both myself and the cashier stifled a chuckle at the same time, as I know that's like a 90% margin item. The minimal purchase added up to $77, and "Todd", after throwing his scarf around his neck like a girl, had to be assisted by the cashier how to swipe his credit card through the machine.

Let's hope he doesn't have to fill the Lexus with gas on the way to their get together, as "Margo's" hat might get dirty as she helps him with that confusing "hose and pump thingie".

---I just checked, and my favorite poker site has over 155K people on it. I'm sure those who find Hooters offensive are somewhere calling them all "devil worshipers" and the like. I just hope, when I log in later tonight, that the ones at my tables have consumed a lot of the $30 a bottle alcohol.

BA tells us the Crew has signed Alejandro Machado to a minor league deal. Machado was probably signed to provide AAA depth, but he's a guy who might see time in MIL, especially if the Brewers decide Adam Heether should spend a couple weeks getting some AB's, as they have done with Joe Dillon and Gabe Gross in the past. Machado is a switch-hitter with good speed who has a career .356 OBP in over 1100 AAA AB's, who has played mostly 2B/SS over the years.

He's a guy who you wonder why he's never been used for a year or two, as he runs fast and is cheap, two nice things for a backup INF.

EDIT: I have to wonder about his arm, as he's played far more 2B than SS, and has only played 5 games in his career at 3B...a very low amount for a guy who has played a decade in the minors, where you'd think he'd pick up a couple games per season due to injury and running out of players.

UPDATE: Anderson Machado is also a switch-hitting INF, but his OBP is only .326 in a plethora of AAA AB's, though he has played a lot of SS over the years. As Steve guesses, at some point, the Crew will likely send Diaz to AAA, removing him from the 40 man. Machado is probably insurance in case Diaz is lost.

The best reliever left standing: Jose Valverde, who is, at this point, probably destined to take a major hit. He declined the chance to make $8 million to $10 million from the Astros, and given that he is a Type-A free agent and has draft-pick compensation hanging on him like an anchor, it's hard to envision his getting anything close to that kind of money -- to be a closer. The Pirates aren't going to spend big dollars on a closer (Dejan Kovacevic says they are talking with Octavio Dotel and Kevin Gregg in this piece) and it's hard to imagine the money-conscious Marlins -- who hang onto their draft picks like family heirlooms -- diving in. The Tigers are in cutback mode, which is part of the reason they didn't retain their own late-inning relievers; Valverde may or may not be a fit, but presumably it would be at a lot less than $8 million to $10 million for Detroit.

Now the question is whether a team like the Mets or the Cardinals would pay Valverde well to be a set-up man if the Bay or Holliday negotiations go badly -- but again, his tie to a draft pick could be a crusher.--Buster Olney

Like the buffoon who represented Sheets last year, it is truly remarkable how badly these agents misread the market, and lack common sense, and end up costing themselves 5% of millions...and their clients 95% of millions.

It may pay to have a guy trying to get you endorsement money, but as bad as they are at judging things, I think I'd rather do it myself and keep 100%. At least then, I'd know who to blame.

Jim finds out that he, despite promises otherwise, will not be able to keep his health insurance.

I, for one, am shocked.

And no offense to Nebraska, but the idea that I and the rest of the federal taxpayers, will now have to pay for their Medicaid, plus my own state's, is just enough to push me over the edge...luckily for me, I was already there.

Somehow, when the tea parties begin anew next spring, I have to imagine "Nebraska" will be in the rallying cry.

I've never heard a Medicaid expansion even discussed...and why am I the only one who thinks many of those covered are already covered now...but will gladly drop current coverage to get better, free or near free government coverage. I would like to think that somewhere in those 2K pages you can't qualify if you opt out of current coverage, but considering that hidden amongst the ink is billions for Nebraska, $100M for a hospital in Connecticut, and who knows what else, common sense stuff may have been missed.

I'll try and open it up for questions about 11, otherwise, e-mail them to me and we'll answer them that way. For many of you, this is the last day before Xmas, and it's a good opportunity for you to waste some time before heading home.

MerryXmas, and Happy Festivus to one and all.

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EDIT: The chat is open for questions, just click and type. You can even remain anonymous if you wish.

Brewers general manager Doug Melvin wanted to upgrade his rotation this offseason, but he had to do it within the parameters of Milwaukee’s moderate payroll.

So, he signed Randy Wolf to a three-year, $29.75 million contract.

But Wolf was willing to work with him on how big his paychecks will be in 2010. Of Wolf’s $9.25 million salary, major league sources say $4 million will be deferred without interest.

The reason: Milwaukee’s payroll will be tighter in 2010 than 2011. Melvin should have a little more flexibility after next season, at which point Dave Bush will become a free agent and options will come due on big contracts for Jeff Suppan, Trevor Hoffman and David Riske.

The Brewers aren’t necessarily through upgrading their rotation for 2010. (At present, Wolf is in a starting group that includes Suppan, Bush, Yovani Gallardo and Manny Parra.) Jarrod Washburn, a Wisconsin resident, remains unsigned for 2010 and has previously shown interest in pitching for the Brewers.

“The thought of playing close to home has always appealed to me,” Washburn said in an e-mail earlier this offseason, in reference to the Twins and Brewers.--Fox

It should be noted that if you count Bill Hall's $7M or so, I think they're close to $90M. I am under the opinion they "wrote off" Hall's '10 salary in '09, but that's just me. This is why people get upset about the Yankees and Red Sox, who can just ship off problems like Mike Lowell and eat almost the entire thing.

Also, they could have easily let Bush go by non-tendering him, but decided he was better than other options for the same price...which he probably is, but only if he returns to health.

I've said it often, but they'll bring in at least one more arm, but it'll probably be a swingman who can start or relieve. I still like Brett Myers, though his off-the-field stuff may have him off the list.

It just dawned on me how ironic it is that BYU, where 90% of the students and fans are Mormon, is playing in the Las Vegas Bowl, where every day, much of what occurs would leave those of the LDS faith shaking their head in disgust.

On the surface, a steal for NY, which is exactly what you can accomplish if you can pick up eight figure salaries. Melky is what he is at this point, a decent enough option in CF if you get him cheap enough, but certainly not above average offensively, and I recall the defensive metrics being mixed back when the Crew was interested. He'd be a very good 4th OF, but he's too spendy for that, and he doesn't hit enough to play LF/RF on a daily basis.

Vasquez is probably the best pitcher on the market, and while only signed for one year, that isn't a bad thing for a SP, especially when you have the Yankees' payroll each offseason. The link even discusses that this frees up cash for the Braves to add a bat, so when all is said and done, that'll have to be considered.

Jack Z seemed destined to rid the Mariners of Morrow, who is a hard thrower who has never been more than mediocre, though he's young enough to break through. That's puzzling to me, though he may have a good reason to dump him.

I think the old saying goes, if you find out he's a bum, trade him before everyone figures it out. On paper, it's hard to see how this improves SEA, who need offense desperately, and instead got an OK reliever, which to me, is pretty much what the floor for Morrow is.

There's really only two thoughts about Rivera...either he should have been the starting catcher or he's lucky he was inexpensive enough for the Crew to carry the past two years.

I'm pretty firmly in the latter camp, as his only real ability is HR pop, though that was nullified completely by the fact he got out 70% of the time. No offense to Mike, whose defensive skills are probably just a bit below average, but they were magnified by the fact the catlike Kendall usually was in that spot.

I think he'll probably spend part of '10 in the majors somewhere, but he is best suited for AAA.

Needless to say, the odds are against him. As I've said many times, it's difficult for me to believe a guy this stupid can ever be a successful major league pitcher...but of course, the fact he throws 95 consistently makes lots of stuff moot.

Nothing cheers me up more than to see the whining fools who, whoa is them, have been stuck in an airport for 12-24 hours because of bad weather delays and cancellations.

Now, don't get me wrong, it's a pity...but c'mon. People go camping all the time, by choice; into hot, wet, bug infested regions. The airport is a palace compared to your average KOA...not to mention that in much of the world, spending an evening on the floor of the airport would put them in the upper reaches of the economic stratosphere.

When you decide to fly across a huge country in a few hours for a capitalism induced low price, once in a while, you may have to cool your jets (no pun intended) because it's not safe to travel 600 mph in the snow/ice/fog. If you don't like it, you're welcome to stay home, drive, or my personal preference, shut the hell up about your minor inconvenience.

Two weeks ago, the NBC show aired a sketch during "Weekend Update" in which cast member Abby Elliott performed an impression of Murphy, who had recently been fired from a film project. The impression portrayed Murphy as spacey and living in the past.--AP

It's always sad when someone passes away at 32, but it's difficult to hear the above and a young, sudden death without thinking the obvious.

I've said many fine things about Netflix before. I think they really are far ahead in their thinking firmly establishing a grasp in the "on demand" market years before most everyone else.

They've outdone themselves now by aligning themselves with Criterion and having many of the greatest movies in the world available for streaming. They've leaped so far ahead of everyone else, it's hard to imagine them not being part of a streaming marketplace for years to come.

With the glut of DH's on the market, I just keep thinking how much the Twins could improve their team by bringing in Jack Cust or Jim Thome and letting Jason Kubel play LF, instead of Delmon Young. Given a promise of 500+ AB's, one of them might sign for $3M and hope to parlay it into a multi-year deal next year, and/or a chance to contend.

This may go down as the bill they approved while holding their nose. I can only imagine how thrilled the Senators will be, sitting in DC thousands of miles away from their families on Xmas Eve, as they vote for a bill no one likes.

The irony here is, I don't see it accomplishing a single thing that it is supposed to...it doles out cash (a common theme) and expands Medicaid just a bit. There's no public option, there's nothing for the 55+ people to avoid paying sky high premiums, and the changes in preexisting conditions will simply raise prices for all, because the only other option is for insurers to accept a loss (as John Stossel says, that's like insisting you and I pay the same car insurance premium as Lindsay Lohan)...heh.

The only thing it does is (wait for it) raise taxes, and cut Medicare...even though it's supposed to cost less, using the fuzziest of fuzzy math. There's plenty of time before the midterm elections for the electorate's anger and disgust to fade...but it sure seems like we're saying that a lot.

I'm taking the Saints tonight, but I almost picked them to lose for the 2nd time in a row. Dallas should beat the 8 point spread.

UPDATE: Dallas 24 Nawlins 17.

No guts, no glory.

On a semi-related note, this is another crushing blow to the idiot sports guys who said "it was destiny" that the Redskins missed what would have been a game clinching field goal a couple weeks ago, that allowed the Saints to win a game that was all but lost.

It is difficult to fathom that grown men cannot understand what "good luck" is. There isn't always a master plan, sometimes, layups get missed, as do chip shot FG's and routine grounders. It ain't divine intervention, it's simple good (or bad) luck.

Young Chuck moved to Texas and bought a donkey from a farmer for $100. The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day. The next day the farmer drove up and said, 'Sorry Chuck, but I have some bad news, the donkey died.'

...Will see what pitchers are left late in the offseason, hope the prices go down towards then.

...Doesn't know what the future holds as far as payroll, for now, close to the top.

...Wolf is a veteran guy, who will help with mental aspects with the younger guys as well as being a solid arm.

...Hawkins is a great add because SP's are so hard to come by...if SP's only go 6 innings like most do, you need good relief guys.

...Always consider everything, but this team needs Prince's bat in the lineup. Will talk to Boras about an extension later. When he has a year left to go, and no sign of a long-term agreement, may have to listen to offers.

...Feel defense will be improved in CF and SS. Pitching hopefully better. Offense still the key, not a club built to win 3-2 games.

...Always need to replace high priced vets with younger, cheaper guys from the farm system. That's part of the ongoing process.

...Pitching symposium will happen in mid-January, over 100 topics to go over. Everyone will be on same page at that point.

...Gamel has a good future, sometimes, you get impatient, but he will hit and hit with power. The question is out if he'll play 3B, Don Money thinks he can, he makes great plays and sometimes lets his mind wander and misses routine ones. He's LH power, and that would fit in nicely with the current lineup.

The Brewers sign Kameron Loe, a RHP who has pitched with the Rangers in the past. e could be a diamond in the rough, as he has a career sub 4 ERA outside of the hitter's haven that is Arlington.

He is a groundball pitcher, so if he is keeping the ball down, he could easily step into the bullpen or rotation. Only 5 HR's allowed in 142 innings outside the Rangers' home park...this has the makings of a memorable signing, no risk, and a very high ceiling.

Doug is loading up the Nashville staff with quality depth, to be sure.

Heck, substitute poker for golf, and I could live on "cereal, cartoons, and poker" for a couple weeks...that's the life many of us dream of. Gosh, add in a cute blonde neighbor and a goofy landlord, you got yourself the makings of a hit sitcom.

Gleeman loves what Jack Z did today with Bradley, and so do I, as Milton still has a ton of ability. I seem to be the only person who is not much of a fan of trading three solid prospects for a single season of Cliff Lee, and wonder how they expect to improve their league worst offense by losing Branyan and Beltre, but maybe he's got a master plan.

Doug says there is nothing ongoing with SEA about a rumored Gamel/Morrow swap. As Tom H correctly points out, you could get a lot more proven SP than Morrow for Mat.

This Facebook response network she has is nothing short of brilliant, by the way. It reminds me of what Obama would be doing, had he not won, and now must wonder each day exactly where it all went wrong.

Palin is now able to choreograph everything she does without that pesky governing getting in the way...write book, make fortune, do book tour, criticize others when it's easy to do so. Almost every day, it's getting easier to see why the left has attacked Palin so, despite taking a hit with women by doing so...she just seems to be better at this politics stuff than the boys.

I don't think I've discussed Survivor this year at all...allow me to say, the reaction of the jury tonight when Russell announced he was just going to keep his immunity idol as a souvenir rather than playing it, may have been the best moment in series history.

Early in the season, supposedly, everyone hated Russell...I was watching the Brewers, but it was all over the web. Since then, he has grown to be almost larger than life...I've seen him called the best player in the history of the game so many times, I've lost track. In addition, he's just a joy to watch...always scheming, always critical of others, and most of all, finding immunity idols without a clue.

He's such a heavy favorite at this point, you almost figure he can't win...can he?

Everyone agrees that it's a terrible idea to bring Gitmo prisoners to the US. I have to wonder what the 30% are thinking. It's no coincidence all the European/Mideast nations all told Obama they wanted no part of the scumbags.

Sure, the Crew might have been able to trade Felipe with his 1y/$5M arby reward, but maybe not. We probably could not have signed Hawkins until that was done, and there's no way LaTroy waits around for the Crew to get their financial house in order. Once again, Doug just proves how much he "gets it", while the casuals simply have no clue.

ESPN's Keith Law doesn't mind the Orioles' Mike Gonzalez signing, but finds the loss of a decent draft pick to be the "real negative." Law does not expect much from Garrett Atkins.--MLBTR

Law worked for a short time in TOR, and he really lacks imagination. Atkins is unlikely to ever reproduce his Coors Field numbers, but if he is healthy, he may be a very productive everyday 3B. For a team like BAL, he's a perfect risk.

I think Chris Narveson has a spot locked up, because he's out of options and will be kept due to his place as a "reserve SP", but I suppose it's easy to disagree about the last few spots.

Even the worst teams only have 5-7 roster spots open, and it's such a small sample, spring training can't be counted on to mean anything. Last year, you'll recall Brad Nelson and Chris Duffy "won" spots, and were soon quickly dispatched to AAA, while Casey McGehee also did, and then had 400 AB's that proved he belonged.

I don't know why I read Rob Neyer anymore. He is nothing but a far-left hack that uses his blog to espouse his liberal views. Today he links to the following piece of trash from the Washington Post.

Basically, they are both advocating dropping God Bless America from being played in the seventh inning as being one of the easiest fixes to help shorten games. Nice that these far-left people don't even care to show proper respect to our great country when we have men and women in harm's way overseas.

I hope you link to this on your blog and call out these jerks for what they really are. As you can tell, I'm an angry American and I've about had enough.

Eldon

I had to edit Eldon's e-mail for language, so he is upset. I have not yet read the link, but I have stated many times my preference for God Bless America being played every game, and how pathetic the Brewers sound the games that they just play Roll Out the Barrel, which is politically incorrect on a variety of levels.

If the best the group can do is shorten it by a 60 second song, they've already failed. On a related note, I quit reading Neyer ages ago, he's gone from being ahead of the curve to being a grumpy old codger who is nothing but a fair weather fan (he claims to follow both the Royals and Mariners, but only when they do not suck), and he lost me when he wrote a bad review for a Fenway Park book under a pseudonym, coincidentally right after his Fenway Park book was not published due to the publisher not liking it. Sadly, much of the advanced stat community is also like this, using little known, very unproven metrics to argue a certain player is as good as another.

And yes, the idea of not singing the song, while members of the armed forces are in harm's way, probably could have been saved for a later time.

EDIT: I just read the article, and it's a yawner. The only non-silly suggestion is "make relievers face at least two hitters", which would basically make loogys less valuable. The rest is a bunch of "have the relief pitchers hurry up", which pretends the umpires are capable of, you know, enforcing these things, while the men in blue have trouble making a fair/foul call a few feet away and, actually watching a baserunner's feet on a tag play.

Basically, I would simply tell the current group of umpires that they suck, and to enforce the rules as written now (the same thing I also say every time someone wants to introduce a new gun law, even though there are thousands on the books now), or they won't have a job much longer. Then, follow up. As long as we have a group of arbiters that think they are above the game, not caring to hustle, get in position, or give a decent effort, all changes with the best of intentions will be wasted by incompetence.

We know now why the Crew went with Hawkins instead of Gonzalez...though Mike is a fine signing for BAL. I admire what the O's have accomplished the past couple seasons, they have a team that might be able to contend if they were in the AL Central. Sadly, they're not, so they're a year away at least, but they have a nice nucleus to build around. Get them a Looper type or two and infield corners, they have a nice little club.

It sure is refreshing not to see the scorned wife standing dutifully behind her hubby at the press conference. Last I saw, the count of alleged "girlfriends" was up to 14....I can't help but think a former model has to be thinking, "Hey, I'm supposed to be the other woman".

Basically, she's creating her own demand. I recall a business class that explained how a liquor brand went from being a bargain brand to top of the line...just by raising the price. This is similar, but it only works with unique lines...people need groceries, so they'll just go elsewhere. But with certain items, people will overspend because they equate quality with price, or in this case, how hard it is to find the place open.

I'd like to think that the vast decline in quality is related to this, but sadly, as pointed out, no one is dumb enough to let someone else post hundreds of items about whose uterus Trig Palin was delivered from. Between Sullivan's pot arrest and his inability to even manage to fill a blog...despite this being his full-time job, I seriously have to wonder if he is healthy.

This report from a few days ago says the Brewers and Mariners have discussed Brandon Morrow, as they did last summer as well. We'll see if the Mariners feel they can spare some pitching now that they have Cliff Lee.

Cliff Lee's agent, Darek Braunecker, told the New York Times' Tyler Kepner that he has not heard from the Phillies about a trade.

A handful of reliable news sources are reporting that a three-team deal has been agreed upon that would send Cliff Lee to Seattle and Roy Halladay to Philadelphia. It's odd that an agent whose client is involved in the trade would have no knowledge of the negotiations. Stay tuned.--Rotoworld

He's under contract for next year, so the idea of the agent needed to have his hand held is laughable to me. Considering he'll get his 5% regardless of how little he works the phone, the agent is lucky to have such a nice job.

I've heard Palin was wonderful on Conan, but every time I try to watch, Hulu times out...which I guess means lots of people are trying to watch it.

Tiger Woods needs to hire whoever did Sarah's book tour...people lined up as if they are about to see a rock star, media not allowed military base visits, priceless shots of Palin walking to the bus and waving...though not on a campaign, it looked and felt like a campaign.

Meanwhile, Woods has gone from esteemed media star to punchline in a couple weeks. He'd be totally dropped by now if Gillette and others were willing to call what they already gave him "sunk cost"...but they're not.

Obama now tracking at a -19 approval...despite the old media fawning over him breathlessly (on 60 Minutes again tonight). In that link, check out the Daily Kos poll...it reads like pure depression (Dems 4x more likely to be negative about their party).

As much as Ozzie Guillen seemed to like Carrasco, it was rather surprising to see the White Sox come to the decision, even though it was clear in recent days that they were leaning this way. Carrasco finished with a 3.76 ERA in 93 1/3 innings. He's not a good bet to do it again, but he shouldn't have much trouble landing a major league deal. He intends to sign with a team that will give him a chance to contend for a rotation spot.--Rotoworld

I'm not sure I see a spot for him, but this type of pitcher...one that has had some success in the bullpen but would prefer starting, is probably exactly what Doug is looking for right now.

One thing to keep in mind is Carlos V does still have an option (maybe two) as well. That's far from a perfect solution, as you still have to pay him, but it does give you a way to pencil in 13 arms even if everyone remains healthy (which is unlikely).

EDIT: The more I think about this, the more this would be a useful, if unspectacular move. Carrasco would solidify the bullpen while also adding depth to the rotation. If he and Narveson would be the final two guys in the proposed bullpen, and CV, Butler, maybe Mulder, and new addition Austin at AAA, that's a half-dozen SP's in reserve.

Brewers basically have deal in place for INF Craig Counsell to return. It will be announced on Monday.--Tom H, twitter

That's superb news, to say the least. The bench is taking form...Counsell, probably Heether, Gerut, backup catcher...that leaves one spot, I would say most likely an OF with some pop, probably a RH or switch-hitter.

UPDATE: He has been non-tendered. He'd be a perfect fit in Minnesota's new ballpark to pair up with JJ Hardy up the middle. Someone mentioned him as a younger, cheaper alternative to Mark DeRosa, though Johnson has never played 3B. As a lefty bat who can play 2B/LF/RF, he'd be a perfect fit for many teams, though I'm sure he'll try and find a starting (or platoon) job first.

I was thinking the same thing, as both are very tough calls. Bush would be far easier had he returned in September and pitched a couple good games. As is, I have no idea if he's healthy.

Gerut's a nice player, and Doug has liked him for years. He's a good fielder, a lefty bat, and performed admirably with regular playing time. Seemingly, he's a nice complement to Gomez as well...but I think he'll get $2M+ in arby...you may well find a similar player for less, or Gerut himself later on for $1M or so. Is there enough of a difference between Gerut and say that Oltjen kid they just signed to a minor league deal to justify $1.6M? You might be able to get a far better SP if you have $3.6M to spend rather than $2M.

A former VP candidate posted this...I'll let you figure out which one.:)

The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father’s, but he has never collected unemployment either.

He’s a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away. He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and a 155mm howitzer.

He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk. He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must.

He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional.

He can march until he is told to stop, or stop until he is told to march.

He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient.

He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry.

He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts.

If you’re thirsty, he’ll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. He’ll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low.

He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands.

He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job. He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay, and still find ironic humor in it all. He has seen more suffering and death than he should have in his short lifetime. He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed.

He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to ‘square-away’ those around him who haven’t bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking.

In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful.

Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the American Fighting Man that has kept this country free for over 200 years.

He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding.

Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood.

And now we even have women over there in danger, doing their part in this tradition of going to War when our nation calls us to do so.

As you go to bed tonight, remember this. A short lull, a little shade, and a picture of loved ones in their helmets.--No author noted

I will only mention I think they misuse the word "average", as they should say "the mean age", as there is no way the math works that they can "average" 19.

Democrats in control of Congress, including then-Sen. Obama (Ill.), blasted President George W. Bush for failing to contain spending when he oversaw increased deficits and raised the debt ceiling.

“Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren,” Obama said in a 2006 floor speech that preceded a Senate vote to extend the debt limit. “America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership.”

Obama later joined his Democratic colleagues in voting en bloc against raising the debt increase.

Now Obama is asking Congress to raise the debt ceiling, something lawmakers are almost certain to do despite misgivings about the federal debt.--The Hill

Heh. As the wind blows, he changes what he stands for. Vote against the war, send more troops. Did you catch the part about being critical of President Bush not being able to contain spending? The sweet smell of irony.

There's nothing there. We asked what "hope and change" meant...it meant not having to admit your long-term plans are completely and utterly non-existent. Now if you'll excuse me, I think the breeze just changed direction...and I assume with it goes the US foreign policy.

Seth McClung has been told he will be non-tendered, making him a free agent. He is tweeting his goodbyes to fans and thanks to Doug and Gord as I type. He did not mention Macha, not sure if he forgot or if he was still unhappy about not being used much when he returned. Of course, they had Vargas, Coffey, and Hoffman who were lights out, so it's puzzling he expected to pitch in close and late games.

Tom H says the Crew will sign Counsell, that they delayed it until Monday to give the Brewers the opportunity to concentrate on the non-tender deadline...which tells me they are working the phones...either trying to pick up a player who may be non-tendered or trying to deal a player who they plan on non-tendering.

Was it determined that Chien-Ming Wang's problems last season were injuryrelated? If so he is likely to be non-tendered by the New York Yankeestomorrow and seems like the perfect buy low/high reward type that would fitreally nice in Miller Park. Wang is a ground ball pitcher and a inningseater if healthy.

Also, have you heard about the Milwaukee radio rumor that has Dave Bushbeing sent to the San Francisco Giants for some guys name John Bowker andKevin Frandsen?

Mayhem

Wang is one of a dozen guys that may be available for a decent price...Correia is another, Brian Tallet of the Jays is another. Doug will look for a bargain, as he is limited financially. As is always the case when a sharp dropoff in production occurs, injuries and subsequent adjustments because of said injury all but certainly played a role.

I had not heard of such a rumor, though Bush may well have some value is he is to be non-tendered. That proposal sounds host generated, as a reserve infielder and reserve 1B/OF does not sound like it would have much appeal to the Crew...guys like that can easily be claimed on waivers or picked up in free agency. If they were to make a trade, it would likely involve receiving a young player in return that did not have to be placed on the 40 man roster.

I keep forgetting to mention that the UIGEA, which led to several poker sites pulling out of the US market, is now being "delayed" in implementation, meaning banks are not being required to pretend to be enforcing the unenforceable...like they know which companies out of a zillion are being used to fund accounts.

Many "insiders" have predicted a repeal of this legislation this year, or for a "poker exemption", because, as we all know, poker is a game of skill.

Add Mike Lowell to the list of pretty decent players you could have had for nothing, along with Luis Castillo, Milton Bradley, and likely many more, as many teams are smart enough to keep that in house.

The Dodgers were given a chance to sign Randy Wolf -- I heard he would have returned to L.A. for a two-year deal, for something in the range of $14 million to $16 million -- but Ned Colletti says this was too expensive for the team.--Buster Olney

I have no qualms with Wolf offering the team he really wanted to play for a discount.

Sadly, not many players are from Wisconsin is all.

It seems very likely if the McCourts were living in marital bliss, the Crew would be talking terms with Jon Garland right now. Hey, them's the breaks.

Hope Brewers GM Doug Melvin makes it home Thursday. The valet at a local steakhouse lost the keys to his car. Trying to get them replaced.--Tom H

Amazing a professional key handler would err like that.

12/09/2009 09:38:00 PM

Whatever strikes me as
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